Tower of Babel
by lalunaticscribe
Summary: Done more for self-reference. An idea of how Rafael's life after DOMA could have gone. Can't believe no one ever thought of this.


_**Tower of Babel**_

_**An LLS Production**_

* * *

_First:_

The aftermath of a dream, and already Rafael was waking into reality.

Paris was good. Paris was where most of the Guardians forgave him. Kay'est was all too ready to forgive, always smiling as she twirled the Rod of Silence. Elma as well, though he took her motions with the Butterfly Dagger as a warning. Baou did not care all that much, Grarl pretty much forgave him, Ceal just gave him the evil eye, and Tryce cuffed him, but said no more.

Eatos... Eatos was different.

Perhaps it was because the deck was built around him in mind, perhaps that he had seen her as his partner for so long, that her cold eyes even when she smiled were chilling to him. His herald, his bird of prey... her intense stare now saw him as prey rather than partner.

Maybe that was why he always hung arouund the _Arc du Triomphe_, as she liked. It was a paltry gift for forgiveness, but he was reduced to such by the only one of his remaining family he admired.

* * *

_Second:_

It was at the finishing round of the two-year tour of Europe, finishing at the _Arc du Triomphe_ that they found him.

He had had to keep a low profile; upon the collapse of Doma the Three Swordsmen were still wanted for questioning. Human agencies within the ability of the three to escape, Rafael had not thought that much of it... until Valon was caught. Then it was his turn.

"How much do you know about the Jigen Bakudan case?" Kaiba casually tossed down the file before him. The two men were seated across a dark coffee table from each other, and the murderous feelings of the Duel Monsters they called was obvious to both Duellists.

"Not a lot," he answered. "Why?"

Kaiba told him. About those like him who could see the Duel Monster spirits, those who abused theit powers for the petty things, for their own ends rather than keep their partners.

"I know you managed most of Doma when Dartz couldn't," Kaiba had said. "We have the brute force, and the manpower, but not the skills. Your skills as one of the Three Swordsmen of Doma will be needed."

"I see," Rafael had answered. "So you want someone to coordinate these... barely legal activities. That's what I know." He leaned forward. "In that case... why would you need me?"

Kaiba smirked. "These people who abuse Duel Spirits... maybe they remind me so much of someone who exposed his cards to the Orichalchos."

Rafael felt himself twitch in instinct as Eatos, a shade to her true self, appeared, the cold stare appearing with a tinge of... approval?

"Think of this as a chance to redeem yourself," Kaiba nodded as he stood. "I'll be waiting."

That approval that Eatos carried as Kaiba left... so desperately he wanted to see it again, so he told himself as he accepted Kaiba's bargain.

* * *

_Third:_

It was in Los Angeles, the most ironically named city he had ever been in, that he met Diana Hunter. Their acquaintance was cemented when her Defender smashed him into a brick wall. He still had the scars from Breaker to prove it.

She began working with Kaiba soon enough, in an equal administrative and frontier capacity. Their nameless group did require more work to cover, something he had never really liked, and something she was proficient at. It left him time to cover the raids they sometimes did against those truly disappointing people who dared call themselves Duellists.

He was called Guardian, being the guard of their records and operations. She was Endymion, the one who oversaw everything. Between them, Kaiba was free to ignore them and focus on KaibaCorp.

She grew onto him. It was odd, in a way, yet Eatos looked on with approval, so it could hardly be bad.

One day, she had used his cards, his Eatos, and summoned it. Wings spread wide, Eatos floated as her hand graced his cheek for the first time, and he nearly gasped at how warm her touch was.

"Ra... fael..." Eatos whispered, no longer incoporeal, no longer a spirit larger than life, but here, solid and flesh as long as Endymion willed. "Rafael..."

"Oh, this is the first time!" Kay'est, floating about, was touching him as if it was a dream to her. "I still remember when you were this small..." Her hugs were suffocating, but warm.

The Guardians were here, gathered. Perhaps Baou was still searching for the meaning of Darkness, but... Eatos said he would return. Their family was about as complete as it would be... it was enough, it had to. It just needed one more... or many more, as Rafael saw the spectre of Endymion the Master Magician.

Eatos and Endymion really had to start negotiations.

* * *

_Fourth:_

Reality gave way to some sort of unusual dream.

They married. It was a small ceremony, marked with the recovery of his family's fortune on top of their already sizeable material wealth from KaibaCorp ad Industrial Illusions. The Guardians attended as did her monsters from the Magical Citadel. There was not much, but Eatos truly smiled as their hand-fasting ended.

Years passed as they changed their names, and settled down, and a child came from the fruits of their labour. Setsuka, Diana named the tiny baby fondly. Ice flower.

_Too much water, _Eatos whispered. _Water..._

The child blinked blue eyes at him, his own eyes despite that in almost every way she resembled her mother. Her strong face despite the child's weariness... that was his. His child. His family.

Alas, the dream could not last. Their enemies found them. Diana fought, but not forever. Both of them saw Eatos for the last time in that place, as Diana bid a tearful goodbye and Setsuka screamed and froze the room.

"Save her, Eatos!" he screamed as Diana called for the guardian to run.

Before he was struck down, painless the process was, the graceful hand worn with weapons and the cry of the eagle sounded in his ears for the final time before the silence descended.

* * *

_**Done. Review.**_


End file.
